Were you aware that March 31st is National Crayon Day? Yeah, it was news to me too. The Crayon Collection is holding a national crayon drive and bake sale on that day, for the purpose of redistributing discarded crayons to children in underserved schools while eliminating tons of waste destined for landfills.
If you’ve ever met a teacher, you know that they almost always wind up spending some money out of pocket on classroom supplies—most spending approximately $750 a year! That stuff adds up fast.
No kids should go without crayons in the classroom. Proceeds from National Crayon Day will support the Crayon Collection’s distribution of crayons to more than 1000 Title 1 Schools and Head Start Centers across the country. (Denny’s Restaurants just partnered with the nonprofit and is now donating the gently used crayons diners leave behind: if you have a moment, tweet them a thank you or post a message to their FB page.)
Diverting crayons from landfills is no joke either. Up to 750,000 pounds of crayons get thrown away every year and they take decades to break down.
You can help by donating to your community crayon collection (find a location here) or by starting your own! Print out this sign and slap it on a collection box or make your own. You could also hold a bake sale to raise funds, start a fundraising page or simply donate to the cause.
For more info or to get started, head on over to the Crayon Collection website.
And maybe consider some eco-friendly crayon options next time you buy!